1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to patient serving trays, and more specifically relates to a tray that is releasably securable to a bed, chair, or wheelchair, both in an operative disposition and in a storage disposition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of United States patents that was conducted prior to the filing of this disclosure located the following patents in the general field of this invention:
______________________________________ Patentee U.S. Pat. No. Date of Issue ______________________________________ Hillenbrand DES. 135,340 03/30/43 Berner DES. 162,119 02/27/51 Paterniti DES. 163,627 01/08/48 Silkenat DES. 186,181 09/22/59 Sundberg/Ferar DES. 192,809 05/15/62 Armstrong DES. 198,168 05/12/64 Ballas 4,077,333 03/07/78 Sonder et al DES. 261,837 11/17/81 ______________________________________
It is well known that patients confined to bed or to a wheelchair are best served at mealtime by placing their food on a tray and positioning the tray relative to the patient at a convenient location. One very well-known apparatus that accomplishes the desired positioning of the tray is known as the overbed tray. Apparatuses of this type include a tray disposed in cantilever disposition relative to an upstanding support structure that is mounted on a base structure that is typically provided with wheels so that the entire apparatus may be rolled into its operative position when desired, and rolled to a storage location when the meal has been completed. These devices are large, and occupy expensive space.
There is a need for a patient serving tray that takes up less space than conventional overbed trays and that can be stored in a manner that does not take up valuable space. The ideal device would be storable on the patient's bed or wheelchair so that it would always be handy to retrieve.
J G Furniture Products, an affiliate of Burlington Industries, makes a serving tray that can also be used as a footboard for a bed. Accordingly, the tray may be used in one environment only, i.e., the environment of the bed for which it is specifically designed. Beds of differing sizes, or wheelchairs, or other bodily support stuctures of the type having tubular frames will not accommodate such device.
Clearly, there is a need for a patient serving tray having an adjustment feature so that it may be used on beds and chairs of widely varying configuration and dimension, but the needed tray does not appear in the prior art.